The Kremlin has commented on speculation surrounding the plane crash in Kazakhstan.

Russian and Kazakh officials have commented on speculative reports regarding the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane in Kazakhstan.

On December 25, Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 Embraer 190, carrying 67 people, crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, killing at least 38. Following a large-scale rescue operation, 29 people miraculously survived.

The scene of the plane crash in Kazakhstan on December 25, 2024.

The Guardian quoted a spokesperson for Kazakhstan's Ministry of Emergency Situations on December 26 as saying that experts are working to identify the bodies of those killed in the plane crash. Among the survivors, 11 victims are receiving intensive care.

According to its schedule, the Embraer 190 was flying to Grozny, the capital of Chechnya (southern Russia), but it diverted its route over the Caspian Sea. The plane then crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. Video footage of the accident appears to show the plane plummeting from the sky and bursting into flames upon impact.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on December 26 that an investigation into the cause of the accident is underway and stressed that speculative information would be "wrong" until conclusions are reached by local authorities.

Kazakhstan's Senate Speaker Ashimbayev Maulen said on December 26 that the cause remains unclear. "None of these countries – Azerbaijan, Russia, and Kazakhstan – want to conceal information. All information will be made public," Maulen emphasized. The Kazakh official also criticized speculation that the crash was caused by Moscow's air defense system shooting down the plane as unfounded and "unethical."

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said it was too early to speculate on the cause of the accident, while asserting that bad weather forced the plane to change its planned route.

Holes in the fuselage of the Embraer 190 aircraft belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines that crashed in Kazakhstan on December 25, 2024.

Kazakhstan says the plane's black box has been found, Interfax reports. Azerbaijan's AzerTAc news agency said an official delegation including the minister of emergency situations, the deputy prosecutor general, and the deputy chairman of Azerbaijan Airlines has been sent to Aktau to conduct an on-site investigation.

Statements from officials in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan come amid widespread speculation about the cause of the accident.

Reuters, citing several sources, reported that the plane was shot down by an air defense system. The Telegram channel Fighterbomber also published a clip that appeared to show holes in the wreckage, which many interpreted as gunfire damage. A Flightradar24 post stated: "The aircraft experienced severe GPS interference resulting in poor ADS-B data transmission." This fueled speculation that the flight was affected by a possible drone attack.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dien-kremlin-len-tieng-ve-don-doan-quanh-vu-roi-may-bay-o-kazakhstan-185241226225234377.htm